The ruling on paying zakah in kind instead of money
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The questioner asks: Is it permissible for me to pay the zakah on my money by purchasing foodstuffs and other necessities for those in need, out of fear that they might spend it on smoke or the like?
Answer:
If paying goods in zakah is better for the poor person, there is no harm in it. If paying goods instead of money to the needy person is better for him, so that he does not waste the money, you may give him goods in place of the zakah. You give him goods equal to the amount of the zakah, meaning food, clothing, or whatever goods he needs; there is no harm in that. However, if he is not in need of goods, you give him money; this is the default ruling.
The questioner asks: Is it permissible for me to pay the zakah on my money by purchasing foodstuffs and other necessities for those in need, out of fear that they might spend it on smoke or the like?
Answer:
If paying goods in zakah is better for the poor person, there is no harm in it. If paying goods instead of money to the needy person is better for him, so that he does not waste the money, you may give him goods in place of the zakah. You give him goods equal to the amount of the zakah, meaning food, clothing, or whatever goods he needs; there is no harm in that. However, if he is not in need of goods, you give him money; this is the default ruling.
Source
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The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.